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Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Boosts Franchise to New Heights on the Next Generation

[May 02, 2014]

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Boosts Franchise to New Heights on the Next Generation

SANTA MONICA, Calif. --(Business Wire)--

The power of the next generation of advanced soldier. The power of a
gripping performance from Kevin Spacey. The power of all-new,
exoskeleton gameplay mechanics. Power changes everything. Call of
Duty®: Advanced Warfare delivers an inspired new era of Call
of Duty®. Published by Activision
Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision (News - Alert) Blizzard
(Nasdaq: ATVI),
and developed for next gen consoles and PC by Sledgehammer Games, Call
of Duty: Advanced Warfare delivers a breathtaking, new vision
for the blockbuster franchise.

"We've made several key decisions with an eye towards creative
excellence on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. We've really
approached this game differently," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of
Activision Publishing. "This is our first three-year development cycle.
It's our first time with Sledgehammer Games at the creative helm. And
we're shaking up the formula in several ways. New core gameplay
mechanics with the exoskeleton suit. A riveting new story. An iconic new
character played by one of the world's best actors in Kevin Spacey.
We're having a lot of fun making this game, and we think the world is
going to have even more fun playing it."

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare jolts players forward in a
groundbreaking experience that's ripped-from-the-headlines-of-tomorrow,
envisioning a future where both technology and tactics have evolved to
usher in a new era of combat for the franchise. Set in the year 2054, a
private military corporation (PMC) has emerged with the power to rescue
humanity from a devastated world struggling to rebuild after a global
attack on its military and infrastructure. You are the advanced soldier.
Empowered with new, cutting-edge exoskeleton abilities, technological
advancements and high-tech gear, players join the ranks of a
highly-trained, specialized unit committed to restoring order in a state
of advanced warfare.

"It's been a lot of fun working with the team to bring Jonathan Irons to
life. The technology is truly remarkable and unlike anything I've done
before. I'm excited to see where this goes," said Academy Award®
winner Kevin Spacey.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is being developed
specifically fo next gen consoles and PC. This is the first iteration
of publisher Activision's expanded three-year development cycle allowing
the debut lead title from Sledgehammer Games an added year of studio
development. With the expanded production capabilities, Sledgehammer
Games is able to create an astonishing new, next generation experience,
featuring an array of technical advancements from the sights and sounds
that create a near photorealistic world unlike any Call of Duty
before, to new performance capture and facial animation technologies
that deliver lifelike characters, to a rich and immersive story that
brings the fiction to life.

"This is an opportunity of a lifetime, and an honor for Sledgehammer
Games. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfareis the most
ambitious and creative project we have ever worked on. From the endless
research and thousands of production designs, to our incredible focus on
the narrative and amazing attention to detail - we're taking nothing for
granted," said Glen Schofield, co-founder and game director of
Sledgehammer Games. "Call of Duty connects with the fans on such
a deep level, and crafting a new vision for the next generation has been
so inspiring for us."

Michael Condrey, co-founder and studio head of Sledgehammer Games added,
"Glen and I created this team with the singular vision of delivering the
best work of our lives. We know we're stepping into some pretty big
shoes, but every day I'm amazed at the talent and focus at work here
touching everything from the story experience to multiplayer. We're
excited to lead the next chapter in this great franchise, and we can't
wait for November 4th."

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc.
is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of
interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the
United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway,
Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, mainland China and the
region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can
be found on the company's website, www.activision.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in
this press release that involves Activision Publishing's expectations,
plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including
statements about the expected Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare release
date of November 4, 2014, are forward-looking statements that are not
facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that
could cause Activision Publishing's actual future results to differ
materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set
forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other
factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard's
most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are
based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision
Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision
Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any
such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to
be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements
are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or
Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other
factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual
results to differ materially from current expectations.

ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, and CALL OF DUTY ADVANCED WARFARE are
trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.